THE Philippine National Police intensified its operations against crime and illegal drugs and executed many criminals after President-elect Rodrigo Duterte started leading in the May 9 elections, Malacañang said Sunday.
“As declared by the PNP, it has intensified its efforts on the anti-crime and anti-illegal drug fronts,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. told the state-run dzRB radio.
“The Aquino administration did its duty of equipping the PNP with enough equipment and improving its crime prevention capability and just like the citizenry, would be pleased to see the PNP continuously improve its performance.
“My understanding is that they reported about the statistics of their anti-drug operations throughout the year, and it seems what they pointed out is that it was nearly equal the number of arrested or killed during the period after the elections compared with those in the first five months of 2016.
“And likewise, according to the statement I have seen, they themselves said this is part of their intensified campaign. We should acknowledge their efforts to fulfill those duties.”
Almost half of the deaths of criminals during the police anti-drug operations between Jan. 1 and June 15, 2016, happened after the May 9 elections when Duterte, known for his uncompromising style of fighting drug pushers and syndicates, emerged as the possible winner.
PNP spokesman Wilben Mayor said in their record of 68 individuals with suspected drug links killed by law enforcers during the period, 31 met their end after the election victory of Duterte, which was an average of one a day.
More than 17,000 people had also been arrested during the period, Mayor said.
“The intensity of the operations against illegal drugs, which he [Duterte] is really, really against, has been pushed by the PNP. That’s why our police are focused on illegal drugs, which is priority number one of the incoming president.”
Mayor said the slain suspected drug traders and pushers were killed in legitimate police operations.
“The reason why those suspects were killed is because there’s a shootout between the police and the suspects. They followed operational procedures. There was imminent danger on their part,” Mayor said.
Of the 31 slain suspects, 12 were from Central Luzon, eight from Southern Tagalog and five from Central Visayas.
